Band:	Vintersorg
Album:	The Focusing Blur
Style:	Black metal, Folk metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	February 16, 2004
A review by:	Malcolm

01. Prologue Dialogue - The Reason
02. The Essence
03. The Thesises Seasons
04. Matrix Odyssey
05. Star Puzzled
06. A Sphere In A Sphere? (To Infinity)
07. A Microscopical Macrocosm
08. Blindsight Complexity
09. Dark Matter Mystery - Blackbody Spectrum
10. Curtains
11. Artifacts Of Chaos
12. Epilogue Metalogue - Sharpen Your Mind Tools

It's quite funny that something you always said you don't like turns up to be very good.
It happen all of us and it's going to go on happen to.
The latest additional in my case is Vintersorg, the Swedish band that mix Black Metal with Heavy and Folk, but I guess you already knew that.
I got their new album and my reaction, before listening to it, was like "damn, why do I have to review this?" but as I said, that was before I had listen to it.
Now, after I listen to it, I feel quite honoured to the one, reviewing this album.
Enough of that now, let's hit the play button and sink into the devilish world of Vintersorg.

But one thing you must have in mind, before reading and further, is that I never liked Vintersorg and I haven't heard much with him/them, just one song or two.
So this is written from a newbies eyes (ears).

I have to say that is surprised me a lot then I started to listen to it.
My thought was that it would be some kind of Black Metal and I don't like Black Metal? but as soon as Andreas Hedlund [aka Vintersorg] started to sing with his clear voice, I was stunned, damn, that man got a very good voice.
It would be fun to see what he could do in a Gothic band (or alike) with that voice, I mean, he is already the singer in the Norwegian Black Metal band Borknagar, but I think he would fit in whatever genre.

"The Focusing Blur" gives us 12 new songs. All, except the intro and no.11, gives us the wonderful mix between Black, Heavy and Folk in a way I think just Vintersorg can do.
Songs that starts with essence of Black Metal, both drums and vocals, and then the vocals get clear, but the drums are still there? and then everything is fading down and you'll get a nice, almost angelic sound? that's amazing.

A song that's really have get stuck in my head is no.8, "Blindsight Complexity", that have a really nice mix of Black and clear vocals and a really catchy song too.
It's a song that I even like the Black Metal parts of, without it, without the mix, it wouldn't be such a good song.
It's almost like a real life Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde, with the vocals.

This is really something unusual and very original, that's very hard to find these days, when there is so much music and bands that the original part is almost impossible to reach, but Vintersorg have succeed.
As I said earlier, I haven't almost heard anything with Vintersorg, so I can't compare it, but it's his/their earlier work is in the same spirit; I have to check them out.

And for the production part, I can't find anything to complain on, it's a masterfully sound that this albums gives us.

So finally, I have to recommend this album to all fans of Vintersorg, 'cause I don't think this will disappoint you at all.
But also to all that wants something original, something that's "playing" with some different genres.
It's a very good album that deserves to be checked out.

Favourite Tracks: "Blindsight Complexity" is my song. But there are no bad songs here; all is somehow fresh and very well done.